Churching

Catholic and Anglican churches both had the rite, a blessing and thanksgiving for the mother's safe delivery, given even if the child was stillborn. In 1866 American Catholic bishops noted that it had been neglected in the United States and told priests to insist on it.

Where a churching was written down, it shows the mother survived the birth and was back on her feet. The Episcopal Church later replaced the old rite with a thanksgiving for the birth or adoption of a child.